I don't get it when people keep saying that this body is a
Gemilang copy xxx or a Gemilang copy yyy. "Copy" is a very
sensitive word to use and can involve huge lawsuits and lots of
money if a company is really found to be infringing on another's
copyright designs.
While the SBST K230, MAN 18.240 and this O500LE from SMRT are
all bodied by Gemilang, each one of them sport a front design that
has been customised in consultation with their respective chassis
makers. As a self-respecting company in its own right,
Scania, MAN and Mercedes Benz would all want to promote their
products, and what better way than to have the local bodywork of
the buses designed in accordance to what they have elsewhere.
This is part of their brand-building so as to achieve a consistent
image in their vehicles sold.
So we see a Gemilang with an Omnicity design requested by Scania
for the K230s, one with a Lion City design specified by MAN for the
18.240, and a Citaro-lookalike specified by Mercedes Benz for the
O500LE.
"Copy" is just soooo... the wrong word to use in this
instance.
